Project Assistant (GIS and Mapping)

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
 
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and malnutrition. The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Under the SIFAZ (GCP/ZAM/080/EC) project, FAO in Zambia has collaborated with the European Union, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) to implement a 7.5-year program on Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems in Zambia (SIFAZ). The project focuses on scaling up of sustainable food production and building resilience of food systems by smallholder farmers with an additional focus on climate change mitigation measures through building demonstrable synergies between research and promotion of appropriate sustainable agriculture intensification practices. 

As part of the activities for the SIFAZ project, adaptive research, agribusiness, and agronomy strategies are put in place to establish economically viable, cost effective and cooperative based business models and transfer knowledge and skills on SIPs to sustainably allow smallholder farmers adoption and continued practicing of the SIPs. Specifically, the research, agribusiness, and agronomy strategies of the SIFAZ project will achieve the following:
•    To facilitate organization of smallholder farmers into baby and mother farm level trails for testing socio-economic and agronomic performance of sustainable intensification practices technology packages. 
•    To facilitate organization of smallholder farmers into effective groups that can effectively participate in selected farming value chains for selected crops and agriculturally based enterprises. 
•    To facilitate smallholder farmer and community level availability and access to critical inputs for ensuring farmer practice of recommended SIP packages, reduction of yield gaps and climate change mitigation.
•    To facilitate effective partnerships between smallholder farmer groups and small to medium enterprises that undertake mechanization equipment and services input and output marketing for selected crops and services by smallholder farmers.
•    To facilitate smallholder farmers adoption of SIPs for sustainable intensification of crop production whilst at the same time improve and preserve the natural resource base.

Reporting Lines

The Project Assistant (GIS and Mapping) will work under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in Zambia and the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) for the SIFAZ Project. They will directly report to Programme Specialist – Data Analysis. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with implementing partners from Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), NGOs, private sector, and relevant FAO technical units in FAO Zambia.

Technical Focus 

The incumbent will support implementation of all sampling, collection, data analysis and activities facilitating gender sensitive smallholder farmer access to digital agricultural services and information critical to the sustainable adoption of SIPs and agribusiness activities. A particular focus of the incumbent will be designing, collection, processing and presentation of GIS and cartographic products from the project.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Project Assistant (GIS and Mapping) will support implementation of the SIFAZ data management strategy and analytical framework. Specifically, the incumbent will undertake the following activities:

•    Contribute to the timely GIS data collection, production of cartographic products and mapping of various project interventions, progress of activities, information needs for agribusiness, extension, and agronomy activities. This includes contributing to development of data collection tools; liaison with GIS officer/mapping unit within Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, and any other government or private sector stakeholder to ensure appropriate GIS and mapping data collection and timely production of various maps on various project activities.
•    Contribute to the development of content for the e-extension and digital platforms under the project. Such content needs to cover agribusiness opportunities, recommended climate change mitigation measures and SIPs technology packages making them available for dissemination through e-extension platforms. This will include ensuring sustained and dissemination of GIS and cartographic products through the project digital platforms.
•    Contribute to improved information and knowledge management systems in the project by ensuring adequate and frequent updates, access and standardization of program information and agricultural situation analysis in the country. This includes undertaking field visits to gather information on activities and results related to the program and ensuring that all data from the field is captured, documented, and reported in a timely manner for resource partner and internal purposes.
•    Contribute to the timely production of the project communication and visibility materials for print, digital and electronic mediums requiring GIS and cartographic content.
•    Support timely and up-to-date compilation, organizing, analysing, and preparing GIS and cartographic data for adhoc reports, fact sheets, resource partner reports, briefing notes, and any other reporting and communication products as per the project reporting requirements.
•    Support proactive identification of GIS and cartographic opportunities in all data collection and processing activities, support planning and implementation of data collection and processing activities. This includes production of GIS and Cartographic products for presentation to share project success stories during media events including press releases, report launches and press conferences, etc. 
•    Perform any other related duties, as required for successful execution of SIFAZ activities in the GIS, cartography, and data management activities.

FAO Standards and guidelines:

•    Liaison with the OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, appropriate review and clearance processes.
•    All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:
•    FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31: HTTPS://WWW.FAO.ORG/STRATEGIC-FRAMEWORK/EN   
•    FAO social media policy and guidelines: HTTPS://WWW.FAO.ORG/2/SOCIALMEDIA   
•    Social Media Branding Guidelines: HTTPS://OPENKNOWLEDGE.FAO.ORG/HANDLE/20.500.14283/CB5044EN 
•    FAOSTYLE: HTTPS://OPENKNOWLEDGE.FAO.ORG/HANDLE/20.500.14283/CB8081EN 
•    FAO terminology: HTTP://WWW.FAO.ORG/FAOTERM 
•    FAO Names Of Countries HTTPS://WWW.FAO.ORG/NOCS/EN  
•    Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (available to staff).  

Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements 

•    University degree in Computer Science, Demography, agriculture, natural resource management, social sciences or other fields related to the FAO mandate
•    At least 2 years of relevant experience in GIS, Mapping and Cartography involving large data sets, layers, and attributes
•    Working knowledge of English 
•    National of Zambia

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Extent and relevance of experience in GIS and associated mapping, cartography, and GIS database management.
•    Extent and relevance of experience working with private sector, NGOs, academic and government institutions in GIS, mapping, and cartography.
•    Demonstrated and very good skills in SPSS and MS Excel and demonstrated experience in working with large datasets will be a strong advantage. Knowledge and experience with other statistical packages will be an added advantage.
•    Level of communication skills, good writing skills including ability to write concise technical reports in English is a strong asset.
•    Familiarity with FAO and UN (in general) administrative, operational, and financial procedures is an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION